“I have my own tales to tell from my week inBerkeley. I was walking gingerly through a crosswalk (I have bad knees) when an impatient driver shot me the bird. His car was graced with a Coexist bumper sticker.”

Wow ! How many examples of this type of behavior could anyone of us come up with? Why can’t we practice what we preach? I’m sure there’s some clinical name for this “disorder”, but whatever they want to call it – – There’s an epidemic!

Where do we draw the line between my rights and yours? We rely on the law to be that decisive line between your rights and those of your fellow citizen. In the above example- Robin was in a cross walk, an area typically designated for pedestrians. The driver felt he had a “right” to hurry along with his busy life. Robin felt she had the “right” to safely cross the intersection.

There is no question in the above example, as to which “right” was in the right. Yet, this driver stole Robin’s legal rights. He felt his rights trumped hers. He was, seen by his bumper sticker, a believer of “co-exsistence”; He carried the banner without practice.

Everyone feels their way is the best way… well of course they do… That’s why they hold the opinions they hold. No one adheres to values, opinions, “rights”, – unless THEY feels it’s the best course – at least for themselves. But does that mean everyone should be able to DO anything they want, whenever they want? Of course not!

But often the worse offenders of ‘civility’ are those that tout themselves “smarter”, “more highly educated”, “worldly” These are busy people, their time is valuable and their mission unquestionable….. The perpensity to expect a “higher” standard from society, while giving the finger to the practice of that standard. These are the Enlightened ones…..

For those pushing 60 about now – we have a unique perspective – We were swept up in the turbulent years of the 1960s… Some directly involved in protests, But at my age, it was more likely we personally knew someone that was. The young, now bursting out at the seams, – absorbed and mimicked the call of a “revolution”. But did we go too far?

The 1970s – Organizations, like NOW, demanded “equal pay for equal work”! Okay, as a young adult, that sounded perfectly rational to me. The meme being -Equality cried “if a woman can dig that ditch just as well, and worked just as hard, she deserved to get just as much pay” – Right? A no-brainer ! I was all for it… I finished school in 1975 and shucked my bra, boldly stepping into the future.

The 80s – “Super Mom” ! The insanity of “bring home the bacon, and fry it up in the pan”… A woman wasn’t equal.. She now needed to be Superior in Endurance – Superior in Time Managment – Make superior strides at the office (or at least be top-dog at the diner )! There was nothing stopping all us NOW-women now, now by’golly! But somehow, the message evolved from “just as” (equal) to a “I can’t do it as well, it’s not my fault I was born a woman” (entitled). NOW, then demanded equal pay for LESS work and quotas on the number of women entitled to a position in almost every career/job field, regardless of their ability to be “just as” !

What? Whoa… Back up the bus…. That’s not the same message I bought into…. But …….Now, a wife, mother, worker – I was too busy to call them out on this – I just pushed on trying to be that SuperMom… and MTV opened a world of “global sound” and the celebrities of the world…. I stopped watching local community events and was glued to the glitz.

Marriage was on the decline – We began to just “live together”. This was great! No committment, no “vows” to have to break when things got rough… Nothing that cemented us together as a team. We were smarter now – enlightened – independent individuals who happen to be at the same point in our lives – it was convenient and disposable. Sadly, abortion rates soared… as it was also convenient. After all, we were too busy to be bothered with anything inconvenient. We were busy, enlightened people!

By the 90s, – Therapy was the rage… Everyone was in therapy… Everyone was getting “enlightened”…..Fighting to establish ourselves, – our ‘rights’ in our famlies, in a career -We were anxious to make our mark – And often not caring who we stepped-on to do it or even which responsibilities we shirked. “Liberated” magazines showed us how to get it ALL… There, we have proof: Super-Woman was alive and well. But at a cost.

Families began to erode and crumble; “Latch-key Kids” were a growing concern. Our children often unsupervised, essentially abandoned to learn civility (street-savy) among a group of peers. Peers who often were similarly “abandoned” children… “Gangs” became a part of our nightly news broadcasts, painted as “the exception rather than the rule”. But weren’t these just kids with nothing better to do, our young with no guidance? Weren’t they entitled to something better ? Their tactics and behaviors becoming all the more violent. Their street-smarts often finding their own unique way to trump the “smarts” of others….

My next post well take us all back to the beginning of the new millenium – And the slippery-slope of its first decade.

This president, his administration and the 111th congress have given voting democrats NOTHING to “buck-up” with… The “ball” he brought to the game, was a leaking beach-ball of hot air. He made vague promises. He never spoke of his true intent and all voters feel betrayed and lied to.

“It is inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive right now to stand on the sidelines in this midterm election,” Obama said..

While true some Democrats and Progressive may be sitting on the sidelines, … He must be aware that many are VERY active… A record number of American citizens are crossing party lines as a direct result of the socialistic methodolgies forced on an unwilling people.

At the same time he’s alienated his own base, he’s succeeded in energizing grassroots America in a way that has rarely been exhibited in this country. Blatant lies, deep-seated corruption, newly inflamed cries of “racism”, unconstitutional power-grabs, the hiding of credientials and questionable associations, incessant anti-American rhetoric…the list is near endless.

I ask you, Obama? “How can you expect your team to show up for a game of hard ball with a deflated beach-ball such as yours?”

Recently, I came across an article about a Carolina Beach Restaurant which posted a sign reading: “Screaming Children Will Not Be Tolerated”.

Personally, I agree 100%. What was surprising to me where the number of people who felt it necessary to defend not only the screaming child but their parents as well.

From the orginal article:

“I’ve never seen a restaurant say, don’t bring your screaming kids in here,” said Ashley Heflin, who is a mom of two. “You can’t help it if your kids scream.”

Okay, that’s a crock of poop! If you can’t control your child in a restaurant, than were do you expect to be able to control them? A busy highway? A dangerous cliff? Please!

No one is suggesting there aren’t exceptions to the rule, but when liberal parents make an arguement in support of their OWN unruly brats, based on someone else’s “exception”, it’s nothing but a cop-out!

Children NEED parents to guide them. They need direction and discipline. Allowing children to disrupt not only YOUR meal, but that of other innocent patrons is simply NOT acceptable behavior from the PARENT!

Do you think your child’s playmate and his family will invite your child to stay over for the weekend? Without manners, common-curtesy and self-restraint, I can tell you the answer… NO! Do you think your child will be “cute” throwing a tantrum over fries or onion rings when he’s 10? 12? NO.

“Social Graces” are an important part of maturity. When do we start instilling those principles in our children? From the very beginning, that’s when. To ignore the need for civility in our children, we ignore our children. There is an appropriate time for everything. A restaurant is NEVER the appropriate time for temper-tantrums, screaming, running-wild and/or acting out. Unless we, as parents, establish right and wrong, we’re expecting our children to learn without OUR guidance.

Teach manners AT HOME, daily. Family meal-time is the perfect place to establish simple, basic manners.

The business owners OWN their business. This is America and he/she has a right to establish rules within that business! If their policies are “bad” – the public reacts by NOT frequenting the establishment. No one’s loss but their own… By contrast, if this business-owner makes GOOD decisions – their business is boosted. Either way .. it’s THEIR business and THEIR decision!

This wasn’t “lite” legislation. This was and IS a big deal… Just ask Biden! Yes, Senator, we most certainly expected you – and every elected member of congress – to read it… each and every word of it!

We PAY you … a ridiculously high salary, unlimited perks and a lifetime of comfort !! We expect you to do your job !

Why did it have to be done NOW? What was the rush? Why couldn’t you take the time and read it? Who exactly was shoving you to vote, vote, vote? Did you not hear your friends and neighbors asking congress to slow down? Did you not hear the voters from your district when they called and begged you explain it to them? Did you not see the concern etched deeply in the faces of the majority of American Citizens who protested … constantly for weeks? And with all this chaos you didn’t think it was necessary to read the damn bill?

You were nothing but oil in this administration’s machine, that’s why! You used the life, liberty and constitutional freedoms of <b>your</b> constituents as lubrication…!

Do you not recognize the importance of your responsibility to the people who elected you? Do you have no honor? No Character? Where are your work ethics? When will you take your vow of public service seriously?

Two newlywed teachers jetted to Italy for a honeymoon. Another couple flew to sunny Aruba for a romantic getaway. And a school cook took her two kids – students at her school – on a cruise.

At least 13 teachers, classroom aides and school cooks broke Education Department rules and either lost their jobs or paid steep fines, reports by Special Commissioner of Investigation Richard Condon show.

No, Robert – what’s unfair is that you have no ethics! The bottom line here is this: You, Robert are paid very well for your “work”… You have wonderful benefits, much better than the average American worker… You are paid to teach OUR children… And instead of being a good example to our young, you lie and cheat to get your way…. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN ! In my not so humble opinion, you should not have been fined.. You should have been FIRED and further, your teacher’s certification should be revolked!
Liars, theives and cheats have NO place in our schools!

About every 20 years or so, it seems to me, we have to ‘clean house’… To avoid this disruptive, unethical behavior from continually repeating itself, we must demand “Term Limits”.

The founding fathers “assumed” those ’servants’ would be elected from the people, would serve the people and then would RETURN to the people (their communities).

Instead, we have been saddled with unethical, power-hungry career-politicians,whose only honest concern is for their own re-election. We’ve made “public service” into a cruise down easy street. We, by neglect, have granted them powers which were never intended.

I sincerely hope, and believe, that 2010 will be historic. We’ve turned the page, so to speak, and our eyes have been forced open by the complete and blatant arrogance of this president, his administration and most specifically the 111th congress.

Its time to re-think some of the constitution’s amendments. The 14th and the 16th come to mind! As a people, WE need to set our course RIGHT. WE need to demand service from our public servants and re-take the power of government, placing it back in the hands of its right-owner… THE PEOPLE!

The House Speaker’s district office in the new federal building in San Francisco costs a whopping $18,736 a month — the highest rental paid by any member of the House — or, more precisely, the highest rental paid by taxpayers on behalf of a member of the House. The rental price was reported by Roll Call on Monday. (Published June 14, 2010| FOXNews.com)

I dare say this is half an year’s income for many American Taxpayers – spent in ONE MONTH.
Spending $224,832 a year for an office is absolutely insane. (Does it include utilities?) Add to this, her private, not-stop jet which shuttles her, at OUR expense, from sea to shining sea, literally! Don’t forget the little Copenhagen excursion – The plane filled with friends, admirers, press and the booze, food and – – those niceties only cost us, what? $102,000?

Damn right, she has “Spending Fatique”… She should be EXHAUSTED!
These people are NOT entitled to these PERKS. Go to Washington, do your business and GO HOME. This back and forth, hop-skip-jump, campaigning and ‘spinning’ of rhetoric is TOO DANG EXPENSIVE!

Get realistic people… USE our money wisely, stop throwing it away for your personal comfort. You AREN’T royalty…. Stop acting as if you were!